Health

Governor Waives Sh 4million Medical Bills At Thika Level 5 Hospital

Governor Waives Sh 4million Medical Bills At Thika Level 5 Hospital

Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi on Tuesday announced a waiver of hospital bills for sixty patients at Thika Level 5 hospital totalling over Sh4 million The Governor issued an executive order directing the hospital to discharge the patients, some of whom had been admitted for a period of more than six months. Twenty-four patients were discharged on Tuesday afternoon, while the remaining awaited their release as the hospital management finalized logistics and assessed all eligible cases. Speaking during the discharge of the first group of beneficiaries, Thika Municipal Board Manager Mr. Gathii Kanyi emphasized that patients who are detained in health…
Read More
Government to provide medical cover to all school-going children

Government to provide medical cover to all school-going children

Healthcare will be free for all Kenyans from birth till the age of 18 when the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) begins in the next three months, President William Ruto has announced. The President said Kenyans will soon begin to enjoy free medical cover under the Social Health Insurance Fund. President Ruto also pointed out that the EduAfya medical cover that was being provided to secondary school students will be expanded to include learners in primary schools. Speaking during a tour of development projects in Mathioya, Kìharù and Gatanga constituencies of Mùrang’a County, he said: “We are changing the old…
Read More
Ministry of Health requests Kshs. 100M to conduct public participation on suspended UHC laws

Ministry of Health requests Kshs. 100M to conduct public participation on suspended UHC laws

The State Department of Medical Services has requested Parliament to allocate at least Sh100 million for sensitization and public participation on the Social Health Insurance Act (SHIA), which was declared unconstitutional by the court. The High Court nullified the Social Health Insurance Act 2023, the Primary Healthcare Act 2023, and the Digital Health Act 2023, which had replaced the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), due to insufficient public participation. A three-judge bench, comprising Justices Alfred Mabeya, Robert Limo, and Fredrick Mugambi, gave Parliament 120 days to make the necessary amendments. During this period, the acts will remain suspended. Appearing before…
Read More
Uganda: Fighting Ebola in the line of duty

Uganda: Fighting Ebola in the line of duty

Mr. and Mrs. Kintu* are among the few medical personnel that contracted Ebola virus disease while in the line of duty in 2022. Fortunately, the timely and aggressive medical care that they received while admitted in the Ebola Treatment Unit (ETU) coupled with mutual support saved their lives. At the end of 2022, a patient visited the couple's clinic with body pain and headache. After several laboratory tests, he was prescribed anti-malaria medication and sent home. He returned the next day looking even worse. On the third day, he got a nosebleed, which prompted the couple to refer him to…
Read More
Kenya Secures $407 Million Global Fund for HIV, TB and Malaria

Kenya Secures $407 Million Global Fund for HIV, TB and Malaria

Kenya and the Global Fund have signed a substantial $407,887,067 grant to bolster the fight against HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria. This funding aims to sustain and enhance previous successes in managing these critical health challenges. Significant achievements from prior grants include a reduction in malaria prevalence from 8% in 2015 to 6% in 2023, attributed to widespread mosquito net distribution and effective treatment initiatives. Additionally, the TB program has achieved an 85% treatment success rate for 264,856 patients, leveraging innovations such as AI-enhanced screening and community-based services. During the grant signing ceremony in Nairobi, Principal Secretary of the State…
Read More
Tanzania: Access to sexual and reproductive health

Tanzania: Access to sexual and reproductive health

On the outskirts of Dar es Salaam lies a colourful oasis, one where sign language is spoken across the schoolyard and students are adept at assisting one another. Two students, Amir and Lisa, walk arm in arm. Amir provides guidance to Lisa, who walks confidently with her mobility cane towards the queue to the chai. At Yombo Vocational and Rehabilitation Centre for Youth with Disabilities, no one is left behind. Lisa explains how Yombo became an opportunity for her to complete her education, despite her impaired vision. Before attending Yombo, she completed Form Four but was not allowed to continue…
Read More
Nakhumicha Oversees Successful Pilot Test for Social Health Authority Registration

Nakhumicha Oversees Successful Pilot Test for Social Health Authority Registration

Cabinet Secretary for Health Nakhumicha Wafula supervised a successful pilot test for household registration into the Social Health Authority (SHA) at Matasia Health Center in Kajiado County. Accompanied by local officials, including Kajiado North Member of Parliament Onesmus Ngogoyo, SHA Chairperson Dr. Timothy Olweny, and Transition Committee Chairman Kap-Kirwok Jason, Wafula emphasized the importance of embracing healthcare reforms to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The government has trained over 100,000 community health promoters to enhance primary healthcare. Nakhumicha praised Kajiado’s community health promoters and urged the county government to fulfill its commitment to their remuneration. Kajiado Health CEC Alex Kilowua…
Read More